Some Customer
Testimonials...Hi JimJim, I received
the Nichols Stallion 45's today and I can not believe they are the same guns.
Your process is really a joy to see on the finished guns and they could not
have shined this well when they were new. It is easy to see why so many people
praise your work on these guns. The grips look like new and the red jewels
sparkle like new as well. The actions are smooth as new. I am really looking
forward to the finished Mark II Gold 45's when you finish them.I am also very
impressed with your "Restoration Check list" both in its design and in the
information it provides the cap gun owner and potential buyer once a gun is
sold. You have a very professional approach to business and take these Cap Gun
restorations to the highest degree of Excellence. It is a true pleasure to deal
with some one with the integrity and ethics you have build into your work,
reputation and your business.Toby O'Brien

Hi
Jim
received my Stallion today 11/29/05. You did a beautiful job of restoring it!!
I am very pleased with the results! Thanks again for a fantastic job, and all
of the progress reports.If and when I come across an original Stallion 45 and
it needs restoration, I will definitely send it to you.Richard
Gerdes

Howdy Jim Yesterday, I received a package from your company
containing two brand new Nichols cap guns. Apparently, there has been some
mistake. I had sent you two old and used Nichols: a Stallion 32 and one
Dyna-MITE. Also apparent were the tattered 2-piece bullets that were included
in my package to you; those, too, are missing. Frankly, Jim, I
don't see how you can run a business successfully if you mislay a customer's
belongings. Do you think replacing old toys with new ones is funny? I think it's
fantastic. The workmanship is magnificent. Pistols are clean, shiny and
bright. They also work quite well. The work on the 38 loading gate (opened just
once to inspect cylinder and bullets) looks and works excellently. Your bullet
restoration process is incredible. Work on both the Stallion 38 and the
Dyna-MITE was much better than expected, and I had expected a lot. Once again,
thanks for the added touch of including the bullet for the Dyna-MITE. As stated in a
previous e-mail, if the work on the 2 cap pistols was good, I would send in one
of my Stallion 45s. The work was great; I will be sending in my Stallion 45
within the next 3 weeks. Jim, thanks very much for all the work done. It was
excellent. If you're ever on the West Coast, I'll buy you dinner. Sincerely, Mark
Guthrie

WOW!!!! Jim Turner, the Nichols Stallion 45 Mark II you
recently preserved for me is exceptionally amazing!!!! I can't tell you how
impressed I am with your professionalism, workmanship & abilities!!!! The
Gun looks better than brand new and the inside mechanisms are so clean now I
could eat off of them!!!! All of the cap residue is completely gone and the
action works perfectly too!!!! I can't believe how you made the engraved
child's name disappear from the bottom of the barrel and the old, crusty
cartridges didn't look this good when they were new!!!! Your shipping packaging
was exceptional too! Thank you so much for your time & effort on preserving
this great piece....I am a very pleased customer!!!! It was worth every
penny!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! Sincerely, Buz :-)

Hello Jim, I was out of town until Sunday night. You can imagine
my delight at coming home to a Priority Mail box on my table. The Stallion is
wonderful. It looks magnificent. Thanks so much for your work and
documentation. It is now residing in my display case on its acrylic base along
with 6 original bullets and the book about the history of Nichols cap guns from
the Nichols family. Thanks again, John

Hi Jim, The gun is absolutely beautiful. It's exactly as I
remember it. Did Nichols ever have an actual holster to go with these 45's and
do you ever see them available on E-bay or anywhere else? Thanks for an instant
trip back to one of the happiest times in my childhood. Mike

Dear Jim, The guns arrived Wednesday but I was out of town
until today. As usual, they look great! Thanks for the time spent. The new
grips look perfect. Again, thanks for everything. Joe

The Stallions arrived today....they look great...Go ahead and
work on the guns...I have sent you a check for $285.00 today...Thank you again
for cleaning the Kilgore it looks great. I have a blued Stallion coming that
needs work...You will be getting it....as always a challenge to you..The
Challenge gun you returned looks great..can't believe it is the same gun....Let
me know when you want payment on the other two guns... Grief

Jim, It is a pleasure to work with someone who takes pride in their
work the way you do. I am not very trusting normally but I have no qualms about
your detailing of the problems encountered with the repairs..You could have
very easily told me the other two guns were worth being fixed but you told me
the truth of the situation as you saw it and I appreciate it. Tom

Upon arrival, all guns are inspected/tested, disassembled and
put through a checklist for verification of condition. Any missing, broken or
worn out parts are noted. The condition of its frame and its finish are noted.
Then all parts are placed in a labeled/numbered box for processing, as shown
below:

The first step in restoring Cap Guns is always disassembling
the guns and giving them a thorough cleaning.

All rust is removed from parts like the
cylinder rod and the springs.

All parts are soaked in a chemical bath and
are soaked for a specific amount of time.

All parts are put through a very hot soapy
water bath, scrubbing each part thoroughly with different size brushes, pads,
clothes, etc.

This is the Chemical Soaking Process. This
process takes place after the general inspection has been performed. The
chemical used in this above process is so strong that the technician has to
wear rubber gloves to avoid being burned by the chemical. The chemical is
sprayed on the gun parts and this causes a slight chemical reaction with the
corrosion, etc., on the pieces. This Chemical Soak takes a couple of hours to
perform on the average gun. On guns with really bad corrosion, etc., the pieces
may be allowed to soak overnight and are re-sprayed occasionally to keep the
reaction going.

The polishing procedures are outlined, as shown
below:

Once parts are towel dried, each and every
part is polished, even the internal parts, i.e., springs and all.

Special attention is paid to polishing all
parts that are chrome plated, removing all stains and discoloration. Once
completed, everything but any major pitting has been removed. Some scratching
will be removed, also. Whatever scratches are not removed, will at least look a
great deal better. All these parts are brought to a highly polished appearance,
similar to what special 'limited release' guns would appear like from the
factory.

Any necessary replacement parts are rounded
up.

All parts requiring lubrication are
lubricated in the factory recommended locations.

The guns are re-assembled and tested for full
functionality.

The first picture represents the gun parts
after having the polish applied. That polish is not just applied with an
applicator. It is scrubbed into the metal, applying multiple dabs of polish
during the scrubbing. This removes most of the corrosion from the exterior
finish. It will not remove pitting and deep corrosion, though. These pieces, in
the one picture, were allowed to sit overnight to let the chemicals in the
polish do their work. And, of course, the second picture is of the same pieces,
after all the polish has been removed from all the pieces. This is accomplished
using polishing cloths and brushes to insure removal of all the polish from the
very smallest of areas. The polish cloth is used to bring the finish to a high
gloss.

The gun's grips are put through a separate process of their
own, as follows:

After a thorough cleaning, any cracks are
glued with a special glue. If one of the posts is broken out, it is glued back
in also. Then, the grips are left overnight to cure.

If the grips have heavy chips, scratches,
etc., they are wet sanded to remove as much of the damage, as possible, without
making their strength weaker. This also removes evidence of glue
overflow.

After wet sanding, the grips are polished
with a special compound to further remove damage and to make them more
smooth.

Then, the grips are polished again with a
finer polish. This returns the grips to their former beauty and they are ready
for re-installation on the Mark II.

Here is the gun before we performed the
cleaning and polishing. In addition to the cleaning and polishing of Nichols
Cap Guns, we also check for missing parts and things that just don't work.
Replacing them, is, of course, an option worth doing. So, are we going to be
able to restore the luster to this "King Of The Cap Guns?"

And sure as shootin' we have a Nichols
Stallion 45 MK-II that looks as good as it ever could. These photos are of the
same gun and after all of the cleaning and polishing took place. The grips
shown on the completed gun were damaged and required repair. One had the screw
pedestal broken out of it and the other had cracks. Both had various chips and
scratches. Look at the finished product, now. We can take a Cap Gun that had
seen its better days and transform it into the best it could be.Let us take
your Cap Gun and "Bring It Back To Life!"

The two-piece bullets, if sent, go through a very tedious and
time consuming separate process. Plus, there is an additional charge for
reconditioning the 2-piece bullets. That process is as follows:

Bullets are soaked overnight in a special
chemical to remove corrosion and old cap material.

They are thoroughly washed in very hot soapy
water, piece by piece.

Each piece is then polished to a high luster.
This is a very time consuming and tedious process.

When the gun is returned to its owner, all old unused parts
(worn out or broken parts) are returned to him, if the owner wants, along with
a copy of the checklist filled out during the restoration of his Mark
II.